Police have detained one of the suspects, who is currently being questioned, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola told journalists. (SAPS/X)
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has identified three suspects in the murder of Marius van der Merwe, who testified as Witness D at the Madlanga Commission investigating alleged corruption in the policing system.
Police have detained one of the suspects, who is currently being questioned, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola told journalists late on Monday outside Van der Merwe’s home in Boksburg.
“We have taken one for questioning, and we are closing in on the other suspects. We will be able to update the nation as we go along,” he said.
Masemola said he met Van der Merwe’s wife and family and briefed them on the investigation. Police had found a white Chevrolet bakkie dumped in Alexandra that was seen scouting the house before the murder, he added.
“We have confirmed to the family that we do believe that we have found one of the vehicles that were used during the shooting. On the evening of the murder of the deceased, a video footage shows a white bakkie pulling up around here and did some observations,” he said.
A second vehicle, which police have not yet located, was used in the attack, Masemola said, adding that forensic teams were analysing the recovered bakkie for evidence that could lead them to the suspects. The police were also searching for the murder weapon.
Investigators are looking into whether the killing is linked to an earlier attempted hit on Van der Merwe in September, during which a Mahindra bakkie was used to track him. Masemola said the police could not speculate about a motive.
“We don’t rule out what is happening at Madlanga. But also, we don’t say that might solely be the motive, there’s quite a various other angles to the case that might be linked to the motive,” he said.
Following Van der Merwe’s assassination last week, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) — comprising the SAPS, the South African National Defence Force and the State Security Agency — is reviewing security measures for those involved with the Madlanga Commission.
Masemola said police were also pursuing information about a possible hit list that Van der Merwe’s colleagues believe was drawn up by the perpetrators.
“We cannot directly link with the work of the commission, but we don’t deny that,” he said, adding that detectives were exploring other possible motives.
It was not yet known how many gunmen were inside the two vehicles during the shooting because they fired from inside the cars, Masemola said, and it was too early to confirm whether a mastermind coordinated the attack.